In most cases insulin resistance is linked to being overweight.

Other reported factors, which increase your likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes are: inactivity, being over the age of 40 and genetics (if you are of South Asian, Afro-Caribbean or Middle Eastern descent you are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes).

With the combined factors of high rates of obesity, underactive lifestyles and a genetic predisposition towards Type 2 diabetes, many Middle Eastern people fall into a high-risk category. Type 2 diabetes was once considered to be a disease that develops in adulthood, but reports suggest that children as young as eight years old are developing the disease, again, due to increasing levels of obesity and inactivity.

The long-term cost of diabetes can be crippling to any health care system as there are many associated health problems, including: increased risk of coronary heart disease, eye problems, nerve damage, foot problems and kidney problems.

Studies have shown that high-risk individuals can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes by simple lifestyle changes. If you are overweight, losing 5-7 % of your weight can significantly reduce your risk (if you are 250lb/114kg, this would be a loss of 13lb/ 7kg). Accumulating 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per day (the equivalent of a brisk walking pace) can also reduce your risk.

A simple food and activity diary can highlight overeating and overconsumption of foods high in calories, fat and refined carbohydrates - all of which contribute to weight gain. A healthy eating plan should include the following steps: make small, gradual changes to your diet and activity levels; reduce your consumption of foods high in fats, especially animal fats in meat, meat products and dairy, by opting for leaner alternatives and pulses - lean meat, beans, lentils and peas; include small portions of ‘good’ fats - nuts, seeds and oily fish; limit the amount of refined carbohydrates - white flour products and sugar; replacing them with whole-grain breads, cereals and a rich supply of fruit and vegetables.

Copyright International Communications Jan 2009

(c) 2009 Middle East. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

A. Oxidized cholesterol is not something you want in your body. To answer your question, though, we will need to back up a bit.

First, cholesterol serves many functions in the body and is needed to help the brain work properly. It keeps our skin water- tight and provides the basic building block for sex hormones and other essential substances. The negative image of cholesterol comes from studies that associate elevated blood levels with heart disease and stroke.

There is an important distinction between cholesterol we take in as a part of our diet and that carried by the LDL and HDL lipoproteins in our blood. Less than half the cholesterol we eat gets absorbed. A balanced diet and a healthful lifestyle have always been the keys. Cutting down on dietary cholesterol wont have a great effect if your diet lacks the healthy greens, grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds. It is the components in these foods that give the body the tools it needs to handle the dietary fats and cholesterol we consume.

One of the things that can go “wrong” with cholesterol is that it is susceptible to oxidation, and, once oxidized, it can contribute to different types of damage associated with chronic disease. Our body has defenses to prevent oxidation in the body, but eating sources of cholesterol that are already oxidized bypasses these defenses. It would be a greater risk for those who dont have a healthful diet, and also for those who are already on the road toward chronic disease. These are the reasons why I have no problem with fresh eggs but do not encourage eating dried eggs, and why it is better to grate fresh cheese than purchase commercially grated cheese thats been sitting around for a while. Both these are higher- fat products with higher levels of cholesterol.

Turning back to milk, we should appreciate that its mostly water, but, similar to human milk, it does contain some cholesterol. Skim (nonfat) milk contains less cholesterol than 2 percent milk, which, in turn, contains less than whole. The cholesterol in dried nonfat milk can become oxidized, but there is not much there to be at risk. When you “protein fortify” skim or 2 percent, the total cholesterol stays the same. Checking the U.S. Department of Agriculture database at tinyurl.com/36uag, we find that a cup of nonprotein-fortified skim milk contains 8.25 grams of protein and 5 milligrams of cholesterol. A cup of protein-fortified skim contains 9.74 grams of protein, but the same 5 milligrams of cholesterol. A cup of 2 percent milk will contain 20 milligrams of cholesterol whether it is the regular or protein-fortified version. There may be small differences with other milk types, but overall, the concern about oxidized cholesterol from protein-fortified milk is a nonissue.

* Ed Blonz, Ph.D., is a nutrition scientist and the author. Write him at “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Newspaper

Enterprise Association, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016 or ed@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

(c) 2009 Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

As the year progresses, 75 percent of those who made a resolution maintain it for the first week. Seventy-one percent maintain it for the first two weeks, but that number quickly dwindles at the one month mark, where about 64 percent of resolutions are kept.

By six months, the percentage drops to about 46 percent, but while a lot of people who make resolutions do break them, research shows that making resolutions is useful.

People who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than those that do not make them.

Among the top New Year’s resolutions are weight loss and exercise. In Stanly County, these resolutions could be more easily attainable with the variety of health and weight loss options available.

Stanly County YMCA

For those looking for a variety of ways to get in shape, the Stanly County YMCA, 427 N. First St., Albemarle, has numerous options.

With two heated, indoor pools, two fitness centers, two gyms, two racquetball courts, two sauna/steam rooms, an indoor walking/running track, an aerobics room, two basketball courts and several other options, the YMCA has a lot to offer.

There is also a variety of classes offered for adults, including yoga, group exercise such as aerobics, studio cycling and more. Aquatic classes are also offered as well as a wellness center and free cholesterol screening.

Membership rates for joining are $44 for an adult individual, $41 for a senior adult, $72 for a family and $63 for a senior family. Other yearly rates are available for youth (3 years old-5th grade), teens (6th grade-high school) and college students.

An endowment fee of $100 for individual adult and $150 for a family is also required except for the remainder of the month of January when that fee is waived.

The facility is open Monday-Thursday 5 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Friday 5 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday 2.-5 p.m.

For more information, visit www.stanlycountyymca.org or call (704)982-1916.

Gold’s Gym

Another popular fitness facility in Albemarle is Gold’s Gym, at 1436 U.S. 52.

Gold’s Gym is the largset co-ed gym chain in the world. The original Gold’s Gym opened in 1965 in Venice Beach, Calif. as “The Mecca” and has grown to span more than 40 states and 30 countries. The Albemarle location is one for 25 Gold’s Gym facilities in North Carolina.

The facility offers health and fitness programs including personal training and customized conditioning programs and a wide array of heart-pumping group exercise classes.

There are various cardio and strength training equipment along with exercise programs that includes classes like yoga, group cycling, mixed martial arts, muscle endurance training and pilates.

For more information, visit www.goldsgym.com or call (704) 984-6537.

Albemarle

Pilates and Yoga

Another option in Albemarle is Albemarle Pilates and Yoga, 239 N. First St., which opened in March 2008 after Cindy Megson, owner, decided she’d like to open her business in the downtown area.

“It’s a good, central location and it has a good vibe for yoga and pilates,” Megson said.

Morning and evening classes are offered six days a week, which include classes like hot yoga, gentle pilates, slow flow yoga, kids yoga and basic pilates and yoga.

Private sessions are also available through appointment.

Passes are available ranging from a one-class pass to a 10-class pass, but the first class is free. Each pass is valid for a year and monthly memberships are also available.

“We provide a much more personalized instruction than a traditional gym,” Megson said.

“We also provide a relaxation portion at the end of every class. We include elements in our classes that help deal with stress as well as have physical benefits.”

For more information about schedules and classes, visit www.albemarlepilatesandyoga.com or call (704) 986-3951.

Jazzercise

A unique option for exercise in Stanly County comes in the form of fun with classes offered at the Jazzercise location, 129 N. First St., Albemarle.

Jazzercise is a 60-minute class of cardio, strength and stretch moves that combine moves from hip-hop, yoga, pilates, jazz dance, kick-boxing and resistance training.

Up to 500 calories are burned during the hour-long class and dance experience is not necessary.

Also available are monthly and weekly printable logs, a free newsletter and downloadable strength training video clips.

For more information, visit www.jazzercise.com or call (704) 982-2233.

Body Shop

Another, possibly little known, option for exercise in Albemarle is the Body Shop Fitness Center, which is part of Stanly County Gymnastics, 1960 Post Rd.

The facility is can be used when the gym is open, which is Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

The facility includes two large Nordic Track treadmills, an elliptical climber, a Schwin Air Dyne stationary bicycle, a Magnum four stack, four station weight machine, two weight benches, barbells, plate weights, hand weights, a stretch area and a radio/CD player.

An individual can be a member for $35 a month and a family can for $55 a month. For those that don’t want to become a member, a walk-in workout is $10 a visit. There are no enrollment or endowment fees.

For more information, visit www.stanlycountygymnastics.com or call (704) 983-2414.

Middle Ring

Middle Ring Cycles is a family owned-and-operated business that cater to all things bicycle and general fitness related.

“We are glad to be here. We love Albemarle and the Uwharries and this is an awesome time to be here,” said Brian Bristol, owner.

About five months ago, Bristol decided to relocate his business from West Main Street to U.S. 52 beside Gold’s Gym and God’s Country Outfitters.

He made the decision to move because he believed the area was more accessible and that it would be a great opportunity since the store would be surrounded by like businesses.

The store is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Bristol said they have products for customers of all ages and price ranges.

Vac & Dash

Located at 231 W. Main St. in Albemarle is the specialty store Vac & Dash, which offers running shoes and bicycle repairs among other services.

A recent investment Peter Ascuitto, owner, made with his store was the addition of timing equipment.

“We saw a need for small races in the area to be able to time their races economically,” he said.

Ascuitto plans to donate the equipment for local schools’ cross country teams in the upcoming season.

With the growth of triathlons and interest in swimming throughout the area, Ascuitto is also adding a Vac, Dash and Splash section to the store.

The section will provide various swimming supplies.

For more information, visit www.vacanddash.com or call (704) 983-3274.

Curves

Curves, a popular workout option, is available in both Albemarle and Locust. The Albemarle facility is located at 636 N.C. 24-27 Bypass, and the Locust facility is at 1050-D W. Main St.

Curves was created specifically for women and offers a 30-minute workout that burns up to 500 calories.

Curves works every major muscle group with strength training, cardio and stretching.

There is also an online nutritional system called Curves Complete and a personal coach that maximizes workout results and provides instant feedback.

Also available is a Curves Weight Management Plan, which is a diet and nutrition plan that coincides with the workout plan.

The Albemarle facility is open Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and 3 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

The Locust facility is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m.-12 p.m. For more information, visit www.curves.com, or call (704) 986-2900 for Albemarle and (704) 888-0166 for Locust.

Senior Center

Exercise classes are also available for senior citizens at the Stanly County Senior Center, 283 N. Third St, Albemarle.

Classes are held Monday through Thursday at 1:15 p.m. for both men and women. These classes are free.

Dance classes are also held at the facility. A variety of dance is offered including ballroom, western square dance and line dancing. A monthly dance, usually the third Friday of each month, is open to the public.

Ping Pong and shuffleboard are also available as fitness options at the Senior Center.

For more information, call (704) 986-3769.

Family Sports

and Fitness

Chuck Byrd, who formerly owned Body Shop Health and Fitness with his wife Sibyl, said it became evident approximately two years ago that the Lord would have them expand and create a facility that could serve the entire family.

The result was the creation of Family Sports and Fitness in Stanfield.

The 28,000 square foot fitness center, located at 332 N.C. 200 North, opened June 2, 2008.

Services FSF offers to its members include:

n basketball courts

n indoor swimming pool

n universal and free weights

n aerobics

n a ladies only gym

n martial arts classes

n large cardio room

n saunas

n outdoor running track

n athletic field

n personal training

n a smoothie bar

The basketball courts offer six hoops.

The indoor swimming pool is a heated, year-round pool. It is enclosed, but the roof over the enclosure has retractable roof panels, which can be opened during the summer months.

The universal and free weights are located in the 4,000-square-foot weight room. There is also a balcony over looking the weight room, which houses a smaller cardio room.

There is an aerobics room on the ground floor of the center, where classes are offered throughout the week.

The ladies only gym is located next to the weight room, and offers circuit training similar to Curves.

The large cardio room is located on the second floor and it houses several types of cardio equipment such as treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes.

There are also three t.v.s in the room, and all of the cardio equipment have jacks available for users to listen to the t.v.s using personal headphones.

The outdoor running track, which takes seven laps to make a mile, loops around the athletic fields, which houses a volleyball court and soccer field.

The smoothie Bar, called Power Blend, offers smoothies and other nutritional supplements. There is also water and Gatorade available.

All of these services are available for members. To become a member, a non-refundable joining fee of $125 is paid one time, unless the member is a full-time student, a school employee, a nurse, a fireman, a police officer or Lions Club member.

Rates are then determined by qualification, such as individual, couple, family with one (two, three or more) child/children, senior individual, senior couple and student.

For more information, call (704) 888-3484 or visit www.familysportsandfitness.com.

Hardbodies Gym

and Ladies Choice Fitness Center

There are two fitness facilities in Norwood. The first is Hardbodies Gym, at 114 N. Main St., and the second is Ladies Choice Fitness Center, at 129 N. Main St.

Neither facility was immediately available for comment but they can be contacted at (704) 474-7545 (Hardbodies) and (704) 474-9093 (Ladies Choice).

Albemarle Nutrition

Albemarle Nutrition, located in Sun Plaza, opened its doors on Dec. 31, 2007 and focuses in general and sports nutrition with a wide array of products for both areas.

From pre and post-operative support items for Bariatrics surgery patients to body building supplements, the store is stocked with over 1,000 different items.

Vitamins, herbs, ear candling supplies, diet products and gift options line the shelves. The store also carries many health food products such as Veganaise and Spelt bread. There is also a fully stocked City Blend smoothie bar.

Store owner Nancee Bowers is passionate about health and nutrition and is eager to share from her 10 years of experience in the industry.

For more information, visit www.albemarlenutrition.com or call (704) 982-6619.

Health Nutz

Health Nutz, at 130 S. First St., officially opened Sept. 4, 2008 and is now open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Owner Shireen Koohestani and her family moved to Albemarle six and a half years ago. At that time, Albemarle did not have a natural food store, so she would travel to Charlotte every two weeks to buy organic products.

Koohestani and her husband found that there were many people in Stanly County that were driving out of the county to shop for more wholesome food.

“This store is intended to serve these people and the growing number of individuals with food allergies,” Koohestani said.

A section of the store is dedicated to gluten free foods for customers who are sensitive to wheat and gluten.

For more information, call (704) 984-4911.

GNC

With its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa., GNC is the largest global specialty retailer of nutritional products.

Items in stock include vitamin, mineral, herbal and other specialty supplements and sports nutrition, diet and energy products.

GNC has more than 4,000 retail locations throughout the U.S. with one located in Albemarle in the Stanly County Plaza at 636 N.C. 24-27 Bypass.

The company also offers products and product information at www.gnc.com.

For more information, visit the website or call (704) 983-5273.

Contact Tiffany Thompson at (704) 982-2121 ext. 24 or snaponline24@carolina.rr.com.

—–

To see more of The Stanly News & Press or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://thesnaponline.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, The Stanly News & Press, Albemarle, N.C.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NYSE:GNC,

Five members of the American Dietetic Association, including three registered dietitians, are among 13 nutrition and health science authorities named by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to the Dietary Guidelines2010 Advisory Committee. Following a review of current scientific literature, listening to and receiving public comment and deliberating in open forums, the committee will prepare an advisory report that will be used in creating the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, which were last revised in 2005.

Geiger is scheduled to speak Thursday, January 29, on ADA’s behalf at a meeting of the Dietary GuidelinesAdvisory Committee in Washington, D.C. She will urge that federal nutrition recommendations focus on food-based recommendations and meal patterns.

Geiger called for dietary recommendations that provide guidance on the types and amounts of foods people should consume, and for greater reliance on consumer research along with scientific diet and nutrition studies.

ADA recommends ten-year intervals instead the current five-year time frame, which is consistent with the issuance of other public health guidance. According to Geiger, ten-year intervals would “strengthen the research basis, implementation and communication, and the impact and evaluation of the Dietary Guidelines.”

“With fewer than 5 percent of Americans consuming diets consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines, ADA believes consideration should be given to factors that influence what people eat and barriers to adoption of healthful diets by consumers,” Geiger said.

The American Dietetic Association is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. ADA is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org.

SOURCE American Dietetic Association

(c) 2009 U.S. Newswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

The study was based on data on almost 2000 adults age 65 and older who participated in the Health Survey for England in 2000 and whose levels of cognitive function were assessed.

The study, published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychology and Neurology, found that as levels of Vitamin D went down, levels of cognitive impairment went up. Compared to those with optimum levels of Vitamin D, those with the lowest levels were more than twice as likely to be cognitively impaired, the study said.

In humans, Vitamin D comes from three main sources — exposure to sunlight, foods such as oily fish and foods that are fortified with vitamin D such as milk and cereals.

“This is the first large-scale study to identify a relationship between Vitamin D and cognitive impairment in later life,” Dr. Iain Lang from the Peninsula Medical School said in a statement.

People who have impaired cognitive function are more likely to develop dementia, Lang said.

“You want to make sure you have a natural progression with your workout,” said Ken Wall, fitness director at Odyssey Fitness Center, Wilkes-Barre. “You shouldn’t go from machine-based equipment to those that have instability like stability balls and BOSUs. It’s all a matter of application. You don’t want to run before you walk. With any new equipment, I recommend that a person comes into a gym for a class or works with a personal trainer for a few workouts for a couple weeks just to try the item.”

But if the items get you motivated and add some pizzazz to your regular, sometimes monotonous routine, maybe you should give them a try, according to area fitness instructors, who are adding the ordinary and not-so-ordinary gizmos to their classes.

You can’t step into any fitness class these days without spotting a large inflated colorful ball. Ironically, it’s called a stability ball, but just try to sit on it, and you’ll find that it’s anything but stable. And that’s its main purpose. Its primary use is for abdominal work. You can sit on it or lay on it. The trick is staying on it and that is what makes it work. By trying to balance on it, you are working the core, the latest fitness buzz word for the whole abdominal region.

“The stability ball is one of the more versatile pieces of equipment that a person can use,” said Wall. “You can do an abdominal crunch on it, use it as a weight bench or use it to support squatting.”

Exercise balls (usually a medium shade of blue or grey) challenge you by putting your body in an unstable environment. When you lie on the ball, your legs and abs immediately contract to keep you from falling off.

Wall advises persons interested in purchasing a ball for their home gym to try one out at a gym first under supervision. “Safety is always the key when buying fitness gear,” he said.

The first rule of thumb when purchasing a ball, which costs about $100, is to pick the one that is best for your height. Wall recommends that if a person is 5 feet 5 inches tall or shorter, he should look for a ball that is 55 centimeters. Persons 5 feet 6 inches tall to 6 feet tall should purchase a 65 centimeter ball. “When you sit on it with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle, your thighs should be parallel to the floor,” Wall said.

Imagine stepping into a parfait glass of blue raspberry gelatin and you have the BOSU, which is an acronym for Both Sides Utilized. The bubble or squishy part of the disc promotes stability and you can use it as a makeshift step, in place of a stability ball to do abdominal work or to do lunges and squats, according to fitness trainer Gina Boyle. You can even turn it over onto its flatter side and do pushups. A BOSU retails for about $100.

Most fitness centers offer Pilates classes on cushioned exercise mats. But Lori Singer instructs clients on a true Pilates reformer, an ominous looking piece of equipment that founder Joseph Pilates originally fashioned from springs in a hospital bed during World War II. The Wilkes-Barre YMCA, where Singer is based, is one of only two fitness centers in the area which have a Pilates machine, she says.

Pilates (pronounced puh-lah-teez) combines awareness of breath with alignment of the spine to strengthen the torso muscles. “The machine targets specific parts of the body, particularly the core,” said Singer. “It also focuses on the extension of the limbs. It makes the legs strong.”

Pilates, the man, rigged springs to hospital beds, enabling bedridden patients to exercise against resistance, thereby creating Pilates, the exercise. A person can lie, sit or stand on the apparatus, according to Singer, who often straps clients into the machine while prone to secure them. Although the machine may look uncomfortable or intimidating, once a client gets used to it, he becomes relaxed, she said.

This style of exercise originally became popular with the dance community and later, the Hollywood elite, before becoming mainstream, where routines were tailored to a mat, instead of the apparatus. The reformer provides finely tuned exercise resistance that allows one to work very precisely to develop good alignment, core strength and flexibility. There are many styles of reformers, some of which are wood while others are metal with leather straps or ropes. “There are springs with tension and a person works against this tension,” said Singer, noting that a typical session can take anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes.

Depending upon the person’s body type and fitness goal, Singer can also do a Pilates session on mats. “Older clients like the reformer since it is not tough to do,” she said. “They find it very relaxing. It really depends upon the person and the type of workout she wants.”

Move over free weights, which are often cumbersome to carry (not to mention dangerous to drop on your toe) — now there are stretchy elastic bands that you can pack up and take anywhere. Dyna-bands are thick elastic bands in different colors, with the hues signifying degrees of difficulty. They originated as thera-bands to help patients recovering from injury in rehabilitation centers. Their counterparts are colorful elastic tubes with handles. Both bands and tubes can be used for upper body moves as well as lower body work, if you step on them or tie them on a doorknob or rail to secure them.

“The tubes come in different strengths and they can fold in a drawer,” said Wall. “I have a lot of clients who travel and pack them in their suitcase. I develop a program for them that they can do in their hotel room.”

The gliding disc is a small piece of plastic that an exerciser steps on to do lunge work, said Boyle. Its sliding motion engages muscles which can sculpt the legs, tone the inner and outer thighs, trim the hips and firm the butt.

The kettle bell or girya is a traditional Russian cast-iron weight looking somewhat like a cannonball with a handle. Kettle bell workouts increase strength, endurance, agility and balance, challenging both the muscular and cardiovascular system with dynamic, total-body movements. But Boyle notes that the results from using kettle bells are probably not any better than that of free weights, which are a lot less difficult to maneuver.

Fitness foam rollers are lightweight, cylindrical rollers that are a form of self-massage. “You can do them before your stretch to get the muscles ready,” said Wall. “I refer to them as a cheap but less fun form of massage. And they’re probably not something I’d recommend to everyone.”

Grab a jump rope and relive your childhood for a quick cardio boost, according to Boyle. “It’s the best thing to get someone in shape,” she said. “It helps to teach you to take in more oxygen so you won’t get winded or tired.”

The jump rope is also convenient, cheap (a good one costs only $5) and something anyone can do.

The hula-hoop, popular in the ’60s and ’70s, is making a comeback. “Hula-hoops are a lot of fun,” said Antoinette Wingert. “They add something new and upbeat to a class.”

Wingert was literally walking through an area discount store when she spotted the plastic toys, which retail for about $4. According to the fitness instructor, using the hoops works the waistline and the core. “My class members love it, especially if you do it to an upbeat song,” she said, noting that hula-hoop classes are popular in California.

Wingert gets mileage from her hoops, constantly brainstorming on ways to use them for fitness. Aside from the traditional dance-type exercise around the hips, she puts one on each arm to do circular motions to work the upper body. She also places them on the floor and has exercisers jump through them, like tires, for a cardio workout.

Her secret to keeping the hoop on your hip and not the floor: “It’s almost like a belly dancing move. You have to move your hips and waist at the same time to get a rhythm.”

The best advice regarding the purchase of any at-home exercise device comes from Wall: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

—–

To see more of The Times Leader, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesleader.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

OTC-PINK:DGIX,

Here is this week’s schedule. Please note, I’ve added a session, so it’s four this week. Always warm up before and cool down and stretch after each session.

SUNDAY OR MONDAY

Your first interval training session 3-5 miles walk, run or cycle with sensible intervals 3-5 x 10 stomach crunches 2-3 x 10 back exercises each side 3 x 8 squats If you are training from home, use the 3-5-mile route from last week. The pace needs to be fairly easy, but four times during the workout quicken the pace up for between one-and-a-half to two minutes, then slow it back to your original pace or slower.

It’s important that you do not suddenly stop at the end of the interval as you may feel dizzy - just walk slowly if you need to.

If you are on a gym treadmill, cross trainer, rower or bike, do the same thing, use time or distance for one-and-a-half to two- minute intervals.

You should feel you have worked hard on the intervals with your heart rate much higher and your body and legs knowing they have been pushed.

My fitness tip last week was to try where possible to focus on distance rather than time. It is sometimes more difficult with interval training. But if you know your route, pick a point you think will take one-and-a-half to two minutes, as at least you then have a focus.

Remember to do your stomach, back and squat exercises at the end.

TUESDAY

4-6 x 10 stomach crunches 2-3 x 10 back exercises each side 4 x 8 squats

Try to perform all these exercises significantly more slowly, concentrating on your technique and making sure they are smooth.

Try not to stop at any point during the set.

When performing your squats, check your knees are not moving forward; remember to sit back!

WEDNESDAY

Brisk walk 2 miles or cycle 3-4 miles This should freshen your legs as they may be aching from the intervals and the squats.

Enjoy an easy session.

3 x 10 stomach crunches 3 x 10 back exercises each side

FRIDAY

Set yourself a distance, eg one-mile walk or run, 2,000m rower, 2,500 steps on the cross trainer and work hard building up so you are working harder towards the end.

You should be able to gauge how far and at what stage you can comfortably push your body to get the most from your workout. Log your time (see exercise tip).

Exercise of the week - legs and bottom

The squat is a great exercise as it targets the front, back and inner thighs, the lower back plus, of course, the bottom.

These are large muscles and as they start hardening up, your muscle weight will improve, giving you a better shape.

Once again I must stress you have to combine the exercise routine with a healthy diet.

This week I have given you your first interval training. This immediately increases your heart rate, your muscles work harder and you are stretching and pushing your body, so more calories are burnt, giving quicker weight loss.

TRAINING TIP

Log all your training sessions, times and how you feel. This allows you to see the sessions you have done and how much you have improved. It is also interesting to look back in a few years.

SUPER-FOOD

Broccoli - I could go on and on about how good broccoli is for you, so I will just give you a few fantastic benefits. It has anti- cancer properties and it’s a good anti-oxidant with many nutrients. This includes the stalk and leafy greens, so next time you eat it, leave the stalk and leaves on! Apart from this, broccoli is a natural powerhouse including potassium, calcium, vitamin C, protein and fibre.

MOTIVATIONA L VIEW

This week it’s a motivational view. Peter, one of my clients, started training.

November 10, 2008, weighing 20 stones.

January 14, 2009, weighing 16 stones.

Peter has been absolutely spot on with his food and training and has completely transformed his life, losing four stone in 10 weeks.

He looks fantastic and feels like a new person. This proves if you are disciplined and want it badly enough, it does not take long to turn your life around.

(c) 2009 The Journal - Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

THIS week the focus is on fat. We are bombarded with messages about fats and generally the messages are to reduce fat.

Some messages talk about good fats, yet we know that a large amount of fat is not beneficial for health. Fat is an important component of our diet in terms of helping absorb certain vitamins. Additionally some fats have been shown to have beneficial qualities.

Fat is a very broad term and it is important to remember that fat is an energy-dense food, too much of this will cause energy imbalance and can help to put on weight.

When you look at a food label, fat is generally divided into saturated and the unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated). Just as the types of fat are varied, the sources of fat are varied. Fat can be found in animal products through to plant products.

In the UK we have too much saturated fat. It would be better to replace these saturated fats with unsaturated fats.

To get an idea of how much fat is in a product in comparison to another, always look at the nutritional information per 100g. In a low-fat product there should be less than 3g fat per 100g or 100ml. In high-fat foods there will be more than 20g per 100g. For saturated fats look for low foods which have 1.5g saturated fat or less per 100g, while high have more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g.

There are plenty of lower-fat options available - but it is good to be label wise.

(c) 2009 The Journal - Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

There are other benefits of e-prescribing. Patients, especially the elderly and disabled who are taking multiple medications, can be monitored by their physicians to better ensure they are taking their medications. There are also alerts inherent in e-prescribing systems, including notifications about allergic reactions to medications or contraindications to use, such as in pregnancy.

Unfortunately, too few physicians nationally are utilizing e- prescribing and related technology. As such, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services is awarding incentives to Medicare physicians based on their e-prescribing compliance. It won’t last long. In 2012, physicians will begin to be penalized for hand- writing prescriptions.

The biggest challenge for physicians is cost. While most doctors offices have high speed Internet capabilities, there is still a cost to exchange information with pharmacies, between physician offices and, especially, hospitals and diagnostic laboratories. In rural communities, high speed Internet access may not be readily available.

In Western New York, there is a program through HEALTHeLINK, the clinical information exchange that serves various physicians and which includes an e-prescribing component. The program, which has been running since November 2007, is close to being rolled out to the region’s broader physician community. The potential benefits related to e-prescribing are very encouraging. As an added benefit to the physician, there is no cost for using the HEALTHeLINK program. It is enhancing communications among the physician office and the pharmacy and, most importantly, benefiting the patient.

However, e-prescribing is just one component of a larger information sharing and exchange network that has great potential to transform our health care system. There are challenges, but continued collaboration among a wide range of health care entities throughout Western New York will lead to positive results for all of us.

John Rodgers is chief marketing officer at Independent Health and chairman of the HEALTHeLINK Pharmacy Sub-Committee. He is also a licensed pharmacist.

(c) 2009 Buffalo News. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.